This battle was one of the severest told of, and many were the people
slain. The forecastle men of the Long Serpent, the Little Serpent, and
the Crane, threw grapplings and stem chains into King Svein's ship, and
used their weapons well against the people standing below them, for they
cleared the decks of all the ships they could lay fast hold of; and
King Svein, and all the men who escaped, fled to other vessels, and laid
themselves out of bow-shot. It went with this force just as King Olaf
Trygvason had foreseen. Then King Olaf the Swede laid himself in their
place; but when he came near the great ships it went with him as with
them, for he lost many men and some ships, and was obliged to get away.
But Earl Eirik laid his ship side by side with the outermost of King
Olaf's ships, thinned it of men, cut the cables, and let it drive. Then
he laid alongside of the next, and fought until he had cleared it of men
also. Now all the people who were in the smaller ships began to run into
the larger, and the earl cut them loose as fast as he cleared them of
men. The Danes and Swedes laid themselves now out of shooting distance
all around Olaf's ship; but Earl Eirik lay always close alongside of the
ships, and used hid swords and battle-axes, and as fast as people fell
in his vessel others, Danes and Swedes, came in their place. So says
Haldor, the Unchristian:--
"Sharp was the clang of shield and sword,
And shrill the song of spears on board,
And whistling arrows thickly flew
Against the Serpent's gallant crew.
And still fresh foemen, it is said,
Earl Eirik to her long side led;
Whole armies of his Danes and Swedes,
Wielding on high their blue sword-blades."
Then the fight became most severe, and many people fell. But at last it
came to this, that all King Olaf Trygvason's ships were cleared of men
except the Long Serpent, on board of which all who could still carry
their arms were gathered. Then Earl Eirik lay with his ship by the side
of the Serpent, and the fight went on with battle-axe and sword. So says
Haldor:--
"Hard pressed on every side by foes,
The Serpent reels beneath the blows;
Crash go the shields around the bow!
Breast-plates and breasts pierced thro' and thro!
In the sword-storm the Holm beside,
The earl's ship lay alongside
The king's Long Serpent of the sea--
Fate gave the earl the victory."